Friday, December 26

started out the christmas week with a pretty big apartment fire. a few famillies were displaced but luckily no one was injured. the blaze started at 4 a.m., so I didn't get to the scene until later on that morning.

Tessa Glenn, stands in front of her neighbor's devastated apartment at 1801 W. Worley Street in Columbia. Glenn's apartment, to the right, was also burned in the two-alarm blaze that started at 3:45 a.m. Glenn and her two children were away from hoome the night of the fire.

Yarco employee Jim Bailey looks out of the burned second story window of Apt# 16D at 1801 W. Worley Street. The Yarco company owns the apartment complex and spent all day Saturday cleaning up and assisting residents with emergency housing.

with nothing scheduled for christmas eve, i went out to a local church's first live nativity.

Meredith Grant, 10, adjusts a head scarf for her father Kyle Grant who played Joseph.

Anna Cox, left, and father George, right, warm their hands by a wood-burning stove in between nativity performances at Midway Locust Grove United Methodist Church

christmas day i went on the post-present feature hunt. Madison was enjoying her new Jeep in the front yard with a huge smile on her face.

Madison Higginbotham, 5, listens to the radio as she drives her new Barbie Jeep around her front yard in west Columbia. Dad Brian said it took "Santa" over an hour to assemble the Jeep in time for Christmas morning.

Tuesday, December 16

randomness from december.

Director Terry Overfelt, left, applies make-up to transform David Smith, center, into the lead character of Pooh as Brenna Blazis, right, reads over her lines before a dress rehearsal of "The House at Pooh Corner."

Lee Elementary art teacher Ann Mehr, left, writes them name of third grader Ken Cosey, right, on the back of his clay relief sculpture of Mr. Moon. Students at Lee are integrating science curriculum into a school-wide art project about Columbia's First Night mascot "Mr. Moon." Their projects will be on display during the New Year's Eve celebration.

Inn keeper Debbie Strid opens the blinds in the dining room. Guests at The Gathering Place order a custom breakfast each morning.

Trends in perfume scents are for traditional florals: roses, lavender, and gardenia.

Columbia Community Band Assistant Director Paul Copenhaver wamrs up his trumpet backstage before the start of the annual holiday concert at Rock Bridge High School.

the tigers lost the big12 championship to oklahoma again this year. Oklahoma 62, Missouri 21. ouch.

even though the last few games were freezing, i miss them already. my co-worker parker will be covering the bowl game in san antonio. at least it'll be warmer in the dome.

Kevin Reichert, left, and Wally Fairchild, right, drink beers in high wind on the top of their RV before Saturday's game against OU.

foreshadowing? Oklahoma fan Craig Davieson hangs a stuffed tiger over the entry tunnel as Missouri Tigers take to the field at the start of Saturday's Big 12 Championship game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.

Thursday, December 4

took a productive ride along with Columbia's new Street Crimes unit. i spent five hours with them the following week and didn't see anything at all. their shifts can run pretty hot and cold. the idea behind the unit is that they are proactive and free from the usual calls from dispatch. i'd like to think with two seasons of "The Wire" underneath my belt that i have some sort of clue what these guys do, but nothing is ever as it appears on HBO.

Columbia police Officer Don Weaver waits in his patrol car to assist in a drug bust in downtown Columbia. The Street Crimes Unit assists narcotics officers with surveillance and manpower for bigger cases.

Officer Cathy Dodd calls in license information to dispatch after a traffic stop. As oart of their proactive approach, officers will stop vehicles for traffic violations and often find outstanding warrants.

Street Crimes officer Don Weaver, left, and officer Thomas Quintana, right, subdue Ronald C. Boggs as he's taken into custody on a felony warrant for a parole violation out of Pettis County. The officers staked out a house on McBaine Avenue where Boggs was reported to have been seen and made the arrest as Boggs came outside, allegedly to make a drug deal. Officers recovered a rock of crack Boggs attempted to swallow. He was charged with possession of a controlled substance and felony tampering with physical evidence.

Officers search for drugs in a front yard off McBaine Avenue after a felony warrant arrest during an alleged drug deal.

The Hickman High School hip-hop club was a fun group. I might head back there for some multimedia.

Stephens College freshman Sydney Turner practices a fake death scene as Jo March during a rehearsal for Little Women.

Norma Winslow, center, and Carol Smith, right, sort through donations in the back of The Wardrobe. After running out of blankets last week, Smith says the community has answered their cry for more donations which piled up over the weekend.

A business cover story on two sisters who run a gift-shop in Hallsville, Mo. Moving around merchandise for the holidays and the stress of securing health insurance were the events of the day.